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Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte #9
Death of a Swagman
Merino is an isolated town in New South Wales. Posing as a laborer, Bony goes there to investigate the murder of a vagrant and soon discovers a murderous tangle of motives and suspects. There are some very engaging characters and some excellent trakcing scenes leading to a suspenseful finish.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1945
About the author
Arthur W. Upfield
56 books104 followersAka Arthur Upfield
Arthur William Upfield (1 September 1890 – 13 February 1964) was an Australian writer, best known for his works of detective fiction featuring Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte ('Bony') of the Queensland Police Force, a half-caste Aborigine.
Born in England, Upfield moved to Australia in 1910 and fought with the Australian military during the First World War. Following his war service, he travelled extensively throughout Australia, obtaining a knowledge of Australian Aboriginal culture that would later be used extensively in his written works. In addition to his detective fiction, Upfield was also a member of the Australian Geological Society and was involved in numerous scientific expeditions. Upfield's works remained popular after his death, and in the 1970s were the basis for an Australian television series entitled "Boney".
Arthur William Upfield (1 September 1890 – 13 February 1964) was an Australian writer, best known for his works of detective fiction featuring Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte ('Bony') of the Queensland Police Force, a half-caste Aborigine.
Born in England, Upfield moved to Australia in 1910 and fought with the Australian military during the First World War. Following his war service, he travelled extensively throughout Australia, obtaining a knowledge of Australian Aboriginal culture that would later be used extensively in his written works. In addition to his detective fiction, Upfield was also a member of the Australian Geological Society and was involved in numerous scientific expeditions. Upfield's works remained popular after his death, and in the 1970s were the basis for an Australian television series entitled "Boney".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
April 9, 2023
'Death Of A Swagman' is an Australian Golden Age Mystery first published in 1945. The publishers felt the need to preface the book with this text:
Editorial Note
Part of the appeal of Arthur Upfield's stories lies in their authentic portrayal of many aspects of Outback Australian life in the 1930s and through into the 1950s, The dialogue especially, is a faithful evocation of how people spoke. Hence these books reflect and depict the attitudes and ways of speech, particularly with regard to Aborigines and to women, which were then commonplace. In reproducing these books, the publisher does not endorse the attitudes or opinions they express.
Having read the book, I can see why they did this. The gap between this and a modern drama like 'Mystery Road' is immense.
For example, the start of the story depends on the fact that, because Napoleon Bonaparte is, in his words, a half-caste, no one meeting him for the first time would assume that he was a police officer. Arriving in town incognito, he manages to get the local police sergeant to arrest him simply by sleeping on a bench during the day and by telling the sergeant to go away when the man wakes him. Throughout the book, Bonaparte's 'mixed blood' is used as the key to his personality. His unusual abilities are explained as coming from the amalgamation of the rational, educated, dispassion gifted him by his white side and his ability to feel the call of the bush and to read the signs upon it like words on a page that comes from his aboriginal blood which has apparently made his an expert tracker although, as he says, "Not as good as a full black".
I'm glad that Bolinda Publishing decided to deal with this by adding an editorial note and leaving the reader to deal with the text rather than taking the bowdlerisation approach that HarperCollins has currently proposed for Agatha Christie's books I think it serves us well to see the attitudes and behaviours that were taken for granted only seventy-eight years ago. How else do we judge the changes made in a lifetime?
I enjoyed 'Death Of A Swagman' mostly for the slightly humorous and eccentric view it gave me of life in a small town in the bush in 1945. The town of Merino is a long way from Miss Marple's St. Mary Mead. The Police Sergeant based there rules over a region of 9,000 square miles and 120 people. The one-street town is surrounded by cattle stations and dominated by the massive white sand dunes of the Walls Of China in what is now the Mungo National Park.
I enjoyed the window into this different world. The scene with the funeral and the race ahead of the storm that followed it was beautifully done. The dialogue, with the exception of the words spoken by Bonaparte himself, was evocative and convincing.
I struggled with Bonaparte at first, He didn't seem real to me. He seems to me to be a literary construct, like Sherlock Holmes. Someone who is more a plot device than a person. He's interesting to watch but hard to believe in, something that Upfield compensates for by surrounding him with recognisable, relatable people. Well, actually, it's really recognisable, relatable men. The women are all a little too sanitised to be relatable.
The attitudes towards women and children and this book caught me by surprise. They were romanticised in a way that reminded me of Dickens and Twain from nearly a century earlier.
The plot held me for most of the book. I enjoyed watching Bonaparte investigate in a leisurely way. The action scenes worked well and the abduction of a key character towards the end added a satisfying amount of tension. Unfortunately, when we reached the big reveal, the motive behind the whole elaborate scheme required a suspension of disbelief that I wasn't capable of. It made no sense to me and I couldn't see why anyone else would give it credence. The way the killer reacted after being confronted also seemed very unlikely.
I'm glad to have sampled Arthur Upfield's work but I don't think I'll travel any further in the company of Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte.
Editorial Note
Part of the appeal of Arthur Upfield's stories lies in their authentic portrayal of many aspects of Outback Australian life in the 1930s and through into the 1950s, The dialogue especially, is a faithful evocation of how people spoke. Hence these books reflect and depict the attitudes and ways of speech, particularly with regard to Aborigines and to women, which were then commonplace. In reproducing these books, the publisher does not endorse the attitudes or opinions they express.
Having read the book, I can see why they did this. The gap between this and a modern drama like 'Mystery Road' is immense.
For example, the start of the story depends on the fact that, because Napoleon Bonaparte is, in his words, a half-caste, no one meeting him for the first time would assume that he was a police officer. Arriving in town incognito, he manages to get the local police sergeant to arrest him simply by sleeping on a bench during the day and by telling the sergeant to go away when the man wakes him. Throughout the book, Bonaparte's 'mixed blood' is used as the key to his personality. His unusual abilities are explained as coming from the amalgamation of the rational, educated, dispassion gifted him by his white side and his ability to feel the call of the bush and to read the signs upon it like words on a page that comes from his aboriginal blood which has apparently made his an expert tracker although, as he says, "Not as good as a full black".
I'm glad that Bolinda Publishing decided to deal with this by adding an editorial note and leaving the reader to deal with the text rather than taking the bowdlerisation approach that HarperCollins has currently proposed for Agatha Christie's books I think it serves us well to see the attitudes and behaviours that were taken for granted only seventy-eight years ago. How else do we judge the changes made in a lifetime?
I enjoyed 'Death Of A Swagman' mostly for the slightly humorous and eccentric view it gave me of life in a small town in the bush in 1945. The town of Merino is a long way from Miss Marple's St. Mary Mead. The Police Sergeant based there rules over a region of 9,000 square miles and 120 people. The one-street town is surrounded by cattle stations and dominated by the massive white sand dunes of the Walls Of China in what is now the Mungo National Park.
I enjoyed the window into this different world. The scene with the funeral and the race ahead of the storm that followed it was beautifully done. The dialogue, with the exception of the words spoken by Bonaparte himself, was evocative and convincing.
I struggled with Bonaparte at first, He didn't seem real to me. He seems to me to be a literary construct, like Sherlock Holmes. Someone who is more a plot device than a person. He's interesting to watch but hard to believe in, something that Upfield compensates for by surrounding him with recognisable, relatable people. Well, actually, it's really recognisable, relatable men. The women are all a little too sanitised to be relatable.
The attitudes towards women and children and this book caught me by surprise. They were romanticised in a way that reminded me of Dickens and Twain from nearly a century earlier.
The plot held me for most of the book. I enjoyed watching Bonaparte investigate in a leisurely way. The action scenes worked well and the abduction of a key character towards the end added a satisfying amount of tension. Unfortunately, when we reached the big reveal, the motive behind the whole elaborate scheme required a suspension of disbelief that I wasn't capable of. It made no sense to me and I couldn't see why anyone else would give it credence. The way the killer reacted after being confronted also seemed very unlikely.
I'm glad to have sampled Arthur Upfield's work but I don't think I'll travel any further in the company of Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte.
July 4, 2020
Read and enjoyed most of Upfield's mysteries featuring Australia ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_...
quoting wiki - "Born in England, Upfield moved to Australia in 1911 and fought with the Australian military during the First World War. Following his war service, he travelled extensively throughout Australia, obtaining a knowledge of Australian Aboriginal culture that he would later use in his written works."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_...
quoting wiki - "Born in England, Upfield moved to Australia in 1911 and fought with the Australian military during the First World War. Following his war service, he travelled extensively throughout Australia, obtaining a knowledge of Australian Aboriginal culture that he would later use in his written works."
June 7, 2017
Bony in disguise; there's nothing unusual in that. Bony at his methodical best, working his way into the life of Merino. Is there a serial killer at work in the district? Another great story commanding your devoted attention. You'll have to keep reading non-stop. No time to eat or do anything else; just keep turning those pages!
June 22, 2013
I have always been a mystery reader, but this book introduced me to another facet of good writing, letting readers have a view of different cultures. The criminal investigation is a side plot, the main attraction is the country and people.
This book also was one of a series on the same character, inspiring me to read the ones earlier in the series and discovering and reading the subsequent books as they came available. All are good reads.
Bony is a half-breed in race-conscious Australia and his interactions with others is a terrifying window into the realities of life
This book also was one of a series on the same character, inspiring me to read the ones earlier in the series and discovering and reading the subsequent books as they came available. All are good reads.
Bony is a half-breed in race-conscious Australia and his interactions with others is a terrifying window into the realities of life
March 29, 2021
Four and a half stars.
This is Upfield at his best. Bony is a great character and the way the author describes the way he overcomes the prejudice against his mixed race heritage with his charm, wit and intelligence is masterful. Great detail of detection and bushcraft, red herrings and misdirection made this a most enjoyable read.
This is Upfield at his best. Bony is a great character and the way the author describes the way he overcomes the prejudice against his mixed race heritage with his charm, wit and intelligence is masterful. Great detail of detection and bushcraft, red herrings and misdirection made this a most enjoyable read.
June 21, 2011
Death of a Swagman is the 9th of Arthur Upfield’s Inspector Bonaparte Mysteries. A swagman is found dead in a pool of blood in a hut near the Riverina town of Merino. Bony only sees a photo of the hut but is convinced the man did not die there, and is intrigued enough to take the case. He arrives in town incognito, gets himself arrested and, as well as painting the Police Station fence a sickly yellow, he investigates as only Bony can. During the course of the investigation, he befriends the Police Sergeant’s young daughter, and, at one point, momentarily doubts his usually infallible approach to crime detection. Bony pontificates several times about the difference between city crime solving and bush police work. As often happens in small towns, people may have more than one profession: to wit the wheelright who is also the funeral director, coroner and magistrate. And a secret noughts-and-crosses code for swagmen: who’d have thought? A few twists before Bony solves the case. It may be from 1945, but it’s still a great read.
February 12, 2012
I love all the Upfield "Bony" mysteries. Although I read most of these in paperback about 18 years ago, I don't recall reading this one. It is the 9th in the published series. While all of the elements I enjoy about this series are there, this one had two things about it that I didn't like as much. One is that the murderer turned out not to be who I hoped and expected it would be, and the other is that the reason why the person committed the murders is a little quirky. Still, I enjoyed the audiobook narrator, Peter Hosking, and the visit to the Walls of China area through the experiences of Upfield's Australian detective, Napoleon Bonaparte. If I ever get to visit Australia again, I must see this feature of Mungo National Park in New South Wales.
August 26, 2014
"Mr. James relaxed. Bony lit another cigarette. What he had remembered was the rebuke he had received when he had thought to smoke on the parsonage veranda. With seeming inadvertence, the smoke of this cigarette travelled to and about Mr. James's head" (170-1).
May 2, 2009
I liked the setting and the detective, but the mystery was only so-so.
November 18, 2019
A reasonably good read, until the end. I found the wrap disappointing and incredible. This time around there is no "man against nature" battle unless you count the wind; instead we have Boney's "white self" struggling against "his mother's nature" in himself. Geh. There were a few too many characters in the first couple of chapters, and three corpses is quite a high body count for a Boney story.
It was interesting that apparently, in Australia of the day, kids would cross their fingers to make a promise, as in my childhood we would "cross my heart and hope to die." For us, keeping your fingers crossed when you made a promise meant you were lying and had no intention of keeping your word.
As usual there were several odd things about the telling of the tale. From what I see online there is indeed a "Walls of China" in S. Australia, but it is not made of white sand; rather, they are reddish (sandstone?) rock formations. There's another one up north that is bluish white, though it's in the wrong part of the country for the story set in the south. Also, look as I might, there are no references anywhere to a "bush banshee", which sounds rather like the "tokolosh" of Africa--but then Upfield is the only Australian who thinks Aboriginal peoples can kill from a distance by thought-transference alone, or communicate telepathically.
What took the fourth star for me was, as usual, Upfield's strange use of language. I have never come across his oddities in any other Australian author, so it's not regional. He speaks of a situation teaching Boney "not to accept her for granted" when any other English speaker would use the phrase "not to take her for granted."Another phrase that almost gave me whiplash was when Boney tells someone, "Take note of the difference of my approach from that of your own and Redman's." That of? Where was his proofreader?
An okay read but not something to set Sydney harbour on fire.
It was interesting that apparently, in Australia of the day, kids would cross their fingers to make a promise, as in my childhood we would "cross my heart and hope to die." For us, keeping your fingers crossed when you made a promise meant you were lying and had no intention of keeping your word.
As usual there were several odd things about the telling of the tale. From what I see online there is indeed a "Walls of China" in S. Australia, but it is not made of white sand; rather, they are reddish (sandstone?) rock formations. There's another one up north that is bluish white, though it's in the wrong part of the country for the story set in the south. Also, look as I might, there are no references anywhere to a "bush banshee", which sounds rather like the "tokolosh" of Africa--but then Upfield is the only Australian who thinks Aboriginal peoples can kill from a distance by thought-transference alone, or communicate telepathically.
What took the fourth star for me was, as usual, Upfield's strange use of language. I have never come across his oddities in any other Australian author, so it's not regional. He speaks of a situation teaching Boney "not to accept her for granted" when any other English speaker would use the phrase "not to take her for granted."Another phrase that almost gave me whiplash was when Boney tells someone, "Take note of the difference of my approach from that of your own and Redman's." That of? Where was his proofreader?
An okay read but not something to set Sydney harbour on fire.
January 1, 2021
My admiration for Upfield grows the more I read his work. And the more I want to visit these settings of his. This time, I am reminded of Lake Mungo in NSW.
His portrayal of outback psychology evokes memories of my grandfathers, grandmothers, many others of their generation and some of my parents'. I may not have understood these folk, being so young, but I recognise them and they have a special place in my heart.
Drama in real life tends to be low key most of the time, in my experience. The drama in this novel is sparse, the tension rises slowly to a relatively explosive resolution.
While the mystery develops and deepens satisfactorily, I found my attention more taken by the characters. Perhaps because they remind me so much of my people.
His portrayal of outback psychology evokes memories of my grandfathers, grandmothers, many others of their generation and some of my parents'. I may not have understood these folk, being so young, but I recognise them and they have a special place in my heart.
Drama in real life tends to be low key most of the time, in my experience. The drama in this novel is sparse, the tension rises slowly to a relatively explosive resolution.
While the mystery develops and deepens satisfactorily, I found my attention more taken by the characters. Perhaps because they remind me so much of my people.
October 4, 2021
I stumbled upon this detective series by pure chance, after listening to a true crime podcast about the Murchison murders in the Australian outback in the 1920s. Arthur Upfield had written a detective story around that time, and a copycat murderer took information from that book.
I chose to listen to this story on audio, and what a story. Clear carefully built scenes, that are wonderfully suspenseful. Boney's (detective inspector and half aboriginal) interactions with the little girl Florence in the gaol are delightful, especially the tea party at the beginning.
This is is a delightful and exciting story from beginning to end with wonderful descriptions of the Australian outback, and the bushmen and women that live there. Fabulous characters.
I chose to listen to this story on audio, and what a story. Clear carefully built scenes, that are wonderfully suspenseful. Boney's (detective inspector and half aboriginal) interactions with the little girl Florence in the gaol are delightful, especially the tea party at the beginning.
This is is a delightful and exciting story from beginning to end with wonderful descriptions of the Australian outback, and the bushmen and women that live there. Fabulous characters.
July 9, 2023
I read all of the Arthur Upfield books years ago in the late 1970's and 1980's when I was a teenager and in my twenties. I have been rereading them I am now 60 and they are still fantastic. Great murder mystery in a time period that is long past. This book came out in 1945. The Author was born in the 1880's. Australian history. It is nice to read about history so long ago that hasn't been altered. The easiest way is when it is written in a fictional story. Being born in the USA I never knew the history of Australia and enjoy learning little bits from this mystery series.
August 9, 2022
This is my least liked book in the series, so far. The solution to the mystery rests on an unlikely fetish, and Boney's logic is more tortured than usual. Each book so far has featured one key thriller scene that is so well written that it really jumps off the pages... this one wasn't quite as good, certainly nothing to compare to the marlin catching scene in the previous book. Also, Boney is more of an arrogant prick than usual, it seemed.
August 19, 2020
A fun murder mystery but the ending is a bit unbelievable. I would rate it a 3.5
January 11, 2021
An old Australian classic detective story from 1945. Very enjoyable.
August 1, 2021
This is a favorite mystery series of mine... and this book did not disappoint.
September 16, 2022
3.5*
An enjoyable episode in Bony's eventful life. He's so pompously precise at times that it makes me giggle. This one made extra entertaining by Peter Hosking's excellent narration.
An enjoyable episode in Bony's eventful life. He's so pompously precise at times that it makes me giggle. This one made extra entertaining by Peter Hosking's excellent narration.
December 25, 2022
I had forgotten how much I had liked this series. I'm glad I still own a few.
March 1, 2023
Inspector Bonaparte is wonderful!
May 5, 2023
Got to ch 7, and put it down. Boring, slow-moving and silly.
January 10, 2024
Early Aussie noir - great stuff with historical interest
November 1, 2022
Warm humor and adept descriptions of the Australian outback make for another engaging episode in the Bony series.
Read
May 18, 2012Bony arrives in Merino, NSW, Australia (sheep country, in case you needed a hint) and is jailed almost immediately. While most detectives would find it difficult to investigate a cold case form behind bars, Bony is no ordinary Detective-Inspector and a jail in the bush is a little bit different as well. This series is most intriguing for its look into a different place and era. Also, the investigating is first rate.
May 2, 2016
Bony, arriving in an outback town under cover, is immediately arrested as a vagrant. Working out his sentence, he acquaints himself with the personalities and footprints of the inhabitants. One of them is killing and dumping bodies at an old laborers' hut. Bony's patient investigation suddenly takes on urgency, and one of the colorful, highly individual inhabitants has killed his last victim.
November 17, 2014
These stories are dated and at times even a bit corny but I'm a fan anyway. Bony is an entertaining, one of a kind detective. That said, like all of Upfield's books, this title is really all about the Australian bush and not about detection.
April 6, 2016
I just couldn't finish it. I was genuinely curious to discover the indigenous detective Inspetor Bonaparte but the character was impossible to relate to and the "white" tone from 1945 was irritating. So I'll never know who killed the swagman.
December 15, 2017
A top Bony novel. A stockman is found dead in his hut near Lake Mungo and the detective sent from the city can make no headway, but Bony spots a message a traditional copper can't understand and knows the murder is not the way it seems. Briskly paced and based in an area I've visited.
November 14, 2015
An unusual tale, set in an intriguing time and place. The detective is a likeable character, but the motive for the crimes in just odd.
January 9, 2020
Bony
All Bony books are a terrific read. I look forward to many more of them! Bony, bony, bony bony, bony.
All Bony books are a terrific read. I look forward to many more of them! Bony, bony, bony bony, bony.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews